Weather is something that definitely needs to be considered when planning a school trip. We hear of schools travelling to Nepal in the monsoon period on “recommendation” by some companies – but they only make the mistake once. In this blog post, we give a quick resume of what are generally considered to be the best destinations for each season.
The world's weather systems can be an intricate puzzle to piece together. With variations within regions and indeed often within particular countries, it can sometimes seem impossible to work out when is the best time of year to travel to certain destinations.
Spring
Our spring is an especially magical time to travel in the Northern Hemisphere with bright floral carpets backed by snow capped peaks and blue skies. Many of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries are at their best so consider a school trip to Morocco, Tunisia, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman or Turkey.
Suitable long haul destinations include Northern India (but not Ladakh) and the Himalayan countries of Nepal and Bhutan.
Japan, Southern China and also South East Asia (Thailand and Vietnam particularly) are similarly good, as are Costa Rica, Cuba and also Ethiopia. Late spring is also the ideal time to head for Greenland for ski touring and mountaineering.
Summer
Summer obviously presents the best opportunity for a long trip or school expedition.
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Consider the following destinations in Asia: China and Tibet, Mongolia, the "Stans", Borneo, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Himalayan regions of Ladakh in India.
In Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Botswana and Namibia are all great weatherwise, as are the South American countries of Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and Chile are also possibilities.
Back in the Northern Hemisphere Alaska and Canada are in their prime, as are Greenland for summer trekking, Iceland and Svalbaard. All of Europe is, obviously, accessible and even carefully selected areas of Egypt, Turkey or Morocco are possible given the right itinerary, despite some potential issues with heat.
Autumn
All the destinations mentioned for spring are generally also excellent in our Autumn. Nepal and Bhutan are often considered to be even better, however, as the monsoon rains have cleared the air of dust resulting in incredibly clear mountain views.
In India, Kerala and Goa in the south as well as the remote tribal regions in the north east of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are all excellent.
In Africa, Ethiopia is excellent in October and November and offers superb trekking and fascinating and unique cultures - all possible within a two week time frame.
Late autumn sees the start of the dry season in Costa Rica and Central America, but much of South America, apart from Patagonia, is turning wet, so probably best avoided.
Winter
The Christmas holidays maybe short but they nevertheless represent a great opportunity for cultural tours and adventure. Morocco, Egypt, Oman, India, South Africa and Thailand are all feasible destinations for an 8 to 10 day trip, and offer challenging cultures and endless adventures.
Europe's winter offers many alternatives to the standard ski trip: Finland, the France and Poland all offer excellent possibilities for snow shoeing or cross-country skiing.
Countries such as Canada and Finland offer amazing multi-activity holidays in the snow - husky safaris, Northern Lights, cross-country skiing…
If you have a longer Christmas break and can fit in a two week trip, then Costa Rica and the South East Asian countries of Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia are at their best. Antarctica, with its unique history and fabulous wildlife, as well as nearby Patagonia are also on the menu although, admittedly, they are not cheap options.
If you would like to discuss any ideas or find out the feasibility of travel to certain areas at different times of year, then get in touch. We’ve spent well over 10 years fine tuning our knowledge on this subject, so can offer lots of advice and suggestions.